Children's home run by The Ryes College Limited in Babergh

Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 1 SC429754 Registered provider: The Ryes College Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of three children’s homes run by a private organisation which also operates two schools. One of the schools is on the same site as this children’s home. The home provides accommodation for up to six children who have learning difficulties and emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three requirements and five recommendations were raised at the last full inspection. The provider failed to meet one of the requirements and four of the recommendations. A further five requirements have been raised at this inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children have started to make progress in this home. However, due to a lack of monitoring by the management team and some unclear records, the progress that the children have made is difficult to evidence. This includes monthly reports for the children, which, if completed properly, would support the social workers and staff to monitor progression’ Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 2 The staff regularly update the children’s placement plans. However, the plans do not show evidence that the children contribute to their development, and are not signed by the children following discussions with staff during key-working sessions. This means that the children may not understand the plans that are in place for them or the work being undertaken by staff. Key-working sessions are not yet consistently happening to meet the needs of children placed in the home and while the manager has developed a

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

new process for monitoring weekly key-working with the children, this is yet to be fully implemented.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children do not have plans in place to support them in learning independence and life skills. Although the children are encouraged to help with tasks such as cooking, it was difficult to find evidence of the independence skills that the children are learning, or those that they have mastered. The lack of plans does not support the children in learning the skills that will be necessary should they move to independent living in the future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children receive appropriate consequences to help regulate their behaviour. However, these are not consistently recorded within the sanctions log. Therefore, they are not routinely reviewed by the managers, or monitored to identify triggers or patterns for the children. The lack of recording means that the children do not have the opportunity to reflect on and learn from their behaviours.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one external complaint since the last inspection. However, there was no clear evidence as to how the complaint was addressed by the manager, or whether the complainant was happy with the outcome. The child did write a letter of apology, but this was three months after the incident, which means that its impact would have been lost because it was not done soon enough after the incident. Internal monitoring is not robust. Not all paperwork is signed and commented on by the children, to ensure that they are fully involved in their day-to-day care, and to support the manager in looking at trends and patterns and progression.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager reported that there have been no incidents of children going missing. However, during the inspection, three records/recordings of such incidents were identified’. There is no central missing-from-care or unauthorised absence book to look at in order to identify patterns or trends, meaning that incidents of children going missing cannot be monitored or evaluated. Therefore, if children do start to go missing on a regular basis, the staff are unable to identify the reasons for such incidents so that they can safeguard the children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one safeguarding incident since the last inspection. Records held in the home lack clear evidence of the action taken by the home and other professionals. Safeguarding concerns can be overlooked, or a conclusion not evidenced, all of which does not safeguard the children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The house is in need of redecoration in the communal areas. The bathrooms and the children’s bedrooms are not of a good standard. The manager and deputy have begun to address this. There are curtains along the corridors both upstairs and downstairs, giving Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 3 these areas a warmer feel. The downstairs corridor was decorated during the inspection, which made a big difference to this long, narrow corridor. One of the children’s bedrooms has been redecorated and the other children have discussed what they would like in their rooms, during a house meeting. One child has already chosen his wallpaper and all the children were involved in choosing paper for the lounge. Involving the children in the redecoration of the house will give them a sense of belonging, and help them to invest in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no admissions or discharges since the last inspection. The children continue to attend school, and have good attendance. The staff work closely with the company’s school to support the children with their education. One child recently sat his level 2 functional skills exam. The staff provided support and encouragement that helped the child to sit the exam. The staff commented that they were really proud that he managed to attend the exam.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff are up to date with their mandatory training. Two staff on probation are due to enrol in the level 3 diploma, while another is in the process of completing hers. All of the other staff have the national vocational award level 3. The staff receive regular supervision to support them in working with the children, and to enhance their personal development. These supervisions are recorded and signed by staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management are currently in the process of updating all generic risk assessments. Individual children’s positive behaviour support and risk management plans have been signed by all staff. They form part of the children’s monthly record books, which ensures that they become live documents for the staff to update on a daily basis as necessary, in order to meet the needs of children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been five physical interventions since the last inspection, which is a significant reduction. The children are debriefed, and have the opportunity to sign and comment on the records. The children also receive life space interviews with members of staff, which give them the opportunity to talk through the incidents in more detail. This practice ensures that the children understand the reasons for the holds, and gives them the opportunity to discuss how they may manage their behaviour differently.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager left the home at the beginning of January 2018. A new manager has been appointed, and has begun working in the home. She has four years’ experience of managing children’s homes, and has the relevant qualifications. She is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has a clear vision to drive the home forward, and has the support of an experienced deputy. The manager and deputy manager have, in the very short time they have been working together, identified areas within the home that need improvement. They have begun to look at the recording systems, the placement plans, and the monitoring and tracking of children’s progression. They are enthusiastic, and want to involve the children and staff in improving and tracking outcomes for the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/05/2016 Full Requires improvement 09/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children, and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(vi)) 10/04/18

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who develop positive relationships with them, engage with them and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7(1)(a)(b)(c)) 10/04/18

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(vi)) 18/02/18 Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 5 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children to aspire to their full potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 18/04/18

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which are kept up to date (Regulation 36(1)(b)) 18/02/18

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 18/02/18

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) In particular, ensure that the decor of the building is continuously maintained to promote a homely, domestic environment.  Support the child throughout the care and give opportunities to discuss the

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Recommendations

impact of the care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 18, paragraph 3.31) In particular, this relates to ensuring that children and social workers have the opportunity to comment on and sign the child’s placement plan.  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is in regard to key-working sessions. Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Ryes College Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 2E, Skyview Business Centre, Churchfield Road, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2YA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: James Fischer II

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC429754 7 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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